Overproduction of Native and Click-able Colanic Acid Slime from EngineeredEscherichia coli

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe fundamental biology and application of bacterial exopolysaccharides is gaining increasing attention. However, current synthetic biology efforts to produce the major component ofEscherichia sp. slime, colanic acid, and functional derivatives thereof have been limited. Herein, we report the overproduction of colanic acid (up to 1.32 g/L) from D-glucose in an engineered strain ofE. coliJM109. Furthermore, we report that chemically-synthesized L-fucose analogues containing an azide motif can be metabolically incorporated into the slime layer via a heterologous fucose salvage pathway fromBacteroides sp. and used in a click reaction to attach an organic cargo to the cell surface. This molecular engineered bio-polymer possesses enormous potential as a new tool for use in chemical, biological and materials research.